Battle of Kalatch

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1942, Armor, Countryside, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic

Battle of Kalatch

The Battle of Kalach (August 8–11, 1942) was a significant engagement on the Eastern Front during Operation Blue, the German summer offensive aimed at capturing the oil-rich Caucasus and Stalingrad. The battle occurred near the town of Kalach (now Kalach-na-Donu), located west of Stalingrad.

German forces, primarily from the 6th Army, clashed with Soviet troops in an attempt to secure critical crossings over the Don River. The Germans aimed to encircle Soviet forces defending the area and advance toward Stalingrad. Despite stiff resistance, the Soviets were forced to retreat across the river after suffering heavy casualties. The German victory at Kalach cleared the way for their advance on Stalingrad, where the subsequent battle would become a turning point of the war.

While a tactical success for the Germans, the battle highlighted the growing determination of Soviet forces and set the stage for the eventual encirclement of the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad later in 1942.

General Howitzer summarizes this battle’s significance:
The Germans may have won the ground, but they missed the bigger picture—those Soviet boys weren’t breaking, they were digging in. This fight lit the fuse that would blow the 6th Army to hell at Stalingrad. You can win a battle and still lose the war if you don’t see what’s coming.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Location:

Russia

Year:

1942

Theater:

Eastern Front

Campaign:

Codename:

Operation Blue

Summary:

This scenario begins with half of the Russian forces stuck behind an impassable river with only a single bridge from which to advance. At the same time, one third of the German forces are stuck in the corner.

Objectives: 6 Medals, including the town of Dobrinka as a temporary territorial medal for the Axis

Terrain:

Mostly open countryside with a few forests and hills. There are two rivers with bridges behind which many forces for each side are stuck.

Troops:

Allies – 3 Infantry, 6 Armor

Axis – 3 Infantry, 6 Armor

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. If you want to defend your units around the town of Dobrinka and the accompanying medal, you will need to get your forces moved forward very quickly. Many of them are stuck behind the Le Don river, so you will need to cross the bridge with your armor quickly.

2. Move your armor on your right flank into the center, to defend your other center section armor which is behind the Le Don River and will need some protection until they do so.

3. About the only way to win this scenario is to get your armored forces out from behind the Le Don river. Make it your first priority, before attacking the enemy, no matter how tempting, to get your forces into play. You each of six Armor units, but with three of yours stuck behind the river, and backed up against the border wall, they are as good as sitting ducks. Get them across the bridge ASAP!

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. Historically, the Axis executed a pincer move from both sides. You will have to get your forces across the bridge of the Le Tchir River as rapidly as possible.

2. The natural focus for your first attack is of course the two Allied infantry units defending the town of Dobrinka.

3. The Allies have two Armor units up against the border at columns J and I. If you can get your Armor up there in time, you can smash them against the wall. Six dice on average will give you an extra hit for each flag. It is a very quick way to take out that half of the battle forces.

Author: Jdrommel

URL

Bastogne Corridor West

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Winter, Winter Wars

Bastogne Corridor West

Let me tell you something: Bastogne Corridor West was a knockout punch thrown in a snowstorm, and our boys delivered it with grit frozen to their faces.

In late December ’44, the Germans came crashing in from the west, hell-bent on slicing through the lifeline that kept Bastogne alive. They thought they could slam the door shut before the Third Army reached the paratroopers. Well, they were wrong.

Patton’s tankers, infantry, gunners, and flyboys stood their ground in the worst winter Europe had seen in years. The enemy hit hard—armor, guns, the works—but our men hit harder. Through drifts, smoke, and steel, they held that corridor like it was the spine of the whole damn war—because it was.

By beating back that counterattack, we kept Bastogne supplied, kept the line unbroken, and broke the enemy’s last real chance to split our forces. It was a turning point in the Bulge, and it proved once again: when the Allies are cornered, they don’t fold—they fight their way out.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

including some territorial objective medals.

Card Balance:

5 – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Winter

Location:

Belgium

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western Front

Campaign:

Ardennes

Codename:

it was part of the larger Battle of the Bulge (German codename: Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein, or Operation Watch on the Rhine)

Summary:

This is a reverse of the Corridor East scenario. But in this scenario both forces are pressed up against their respective borders. The scattered forests in the center of the battlefield are up for grabs to whomever can get to them first.

Objectives:

6 medals including territorial medals for each side by controlling their town objectives.

Terrain:

Winter, wooded, with open plains for fun tank battles

Troops:

Allies – 8 Infantry, 7 Armor, 2 Artillery

Axis – 6 Infantry, 6 Armor, 1 Artillery

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. Big picture strategy for Allies is to quickly mobilize your forces before the enemy armor moves in for attack. Get your Infantry into defensive positions in the towns of Moricy, Remagne, Lavaselle, and Sibret if you can. This will slow the Axis attack while you mobilize your own Armor.

2. You have two Artillery. If the enemy moves forward quickly, you can begin using them immediately. If they delay advancement, you can move your own Artillery forward one or two hexes. Air Power cards are played as Artillery Bombardment, so it will be good to have your Artillery in a forward position, should that card become available.

3. The Axis have the advantage of being closer to the forests. So they will be able to place their Armor in there, and blast you if you try to make a frontal assault out in the open middle section. Your best attack vector is your left flank, where your forces can move forward under the protection of the towns and forest’s on that side.

4. Wait them out in the center section until either they come out from the forests, or you have the cards for a massive assault. Of course, if you can capture the forests first, that is the way to go.

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. Big picture strategy is to move your Infantry into the forests, and mobilize your Armor rapidly for some early hits against the enemy before they have had a chance to mobilize.

2. Because there are a lot of open spaces, and a lot of Armor, this can become very much a tank battle. So choose your section and focus of attack carefully. The center section gives your forces the most mobility.

3. Capture the center forest hexes. Then begin moving your artillery and your right flank forces forward to put pressure on the enemy.

4. Keep the pressure on your left flank. If you get close enough to the town of Sibret, in the corner, near the end of the game you can grab that as your last Medal.

Author:

Days of Wonder

URL

Mignano Monte Lungo

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1943, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: Italy, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

Mignano Monte Lungo

Listen up, men—

The Battle of Mignano Monte Lungo was a damn fine example of grit and redemption. After switching sides, the Italian troops had something to prove—and by God, they did it. That mountain was no cakewalk. The Germans were dug in deep, with every ridge covered by fire, and the terrain was as unforgiving as a mule kick to the gut.

But those Italians, with the Yanks watching, clawed their way up that blasted rock from December 8 to the 16th, 1943. Took casualties. Took hell. But they took the mountain too. That wasn’t just a hill—it was a message: Italy was back in the fight, and they were fighting on the right side this time.

Monte Lungo wasn’t just a tactical win. It was a morale sledgehammer. And it cracked open the road to Cassino. That’s how you turn the tide—with steel in your spine and fire in your gut.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 6

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:
Italy

Year:

1943

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

The Italian Campaign

Codename

Summary:

The Axis forces begin this scenario in control of the hexes across two-thirds of the battlefield, protecting two VP town hexes. The challenge for the Allies is to cross the open plain with out being decimated before they can control the hills and get to the VP’s.

Objectives:

6 VP’s, plus Monte Lungo and Monte Rotondo are temporary Medal Objectivese for the Allies.

Battlefield:

Troops:

Allies –

Axis –

🔥 Winning as Allies

1. Big Picture Strategy: the Axis forces have an Artillery guarding the left flank, and it’s objective medal. But there is an objective medal on the right flank. Head all of your forces in that direction.

2. If you can move your Artillery forward one row, you will be able to hit more of the enemy with 2D attacks.

3. Move your Armor off the back row and forward to row 3 where you can begin to harass the forward enemy Infantry.

🔥 Winning as Axis

1. Big Picture Strategy: Guard the Objective Medal on your left flank. If the enemy gets the right cards, they can very quickly come upon your forces and overwhelm them.

2. Move your Armor up to row 6 so you can start picking off the Allied Infantry hiding in the woods. Also move your Infantry off the back row up into the forest and hills to its left.

3. Move your Artillery up to row 7 so that you can hit the enemy with 2D attacks.

4. Hold your position for a while to see if the enemy ventures forth into the open where you can hit him hard.

Battle Reports:

(percentage of Allied victories)

Author: Jdrommel

ID:

Link:

Arracourt

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Base Game, Countryside, Infantry, Location: France, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

Arracourt

The Battle of Arracourt (September 18–29, 1944) was one of the largest tank engagements on the Western Front — a dramatic clash between the U.S. 4th Armored Division and German Panzer forces near the village of Arracourt, in northeastern France.

After the breakout from Normandy, U.S. forces under General Patton’s Third Army raced across France, outpacing their supply lines. The German High Command, desperate to halt the advance, launched a counteroffensive using newly arrived Panzer brigades from the 5th Panzer Army. Their goal was to cut off the American spearhead and regain the city of Nancy.

By the end of September, the Germans had lost over 200 tanks and assault guns, compared to about 25 U.S. tanks. The American victory at Arracourt shattered the Panzer brigades, halted the German counterattack in Lorraine, and confirmed the U.S. Army’s growing mastery of combined-arms tactics.

Listen up—Arracourt was no accident. That fight proved what I’ve said all along: steel alone doesn’t win battles—men do. When you’ve got training in your bones, clear orders on the radio, and the guts to move fast and hit hard, you can take on any tank the Krauts can throw at you.

Our boys out there turned the rolling fields of Lorraine into a graveyard for German armor. Outnumbered? Maybe. Outclassed? Never. We didn’t dig in and wait—we maneuvered, struck from the flanks, and crushed them before they knew what hit ’em.

Arracourt wasn’t just a victory—it was a lesson to every soldier in this Army: brains, speed, and discipline beat brute strength every damn time.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 6
Axis – 4

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Location:

France

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western Front

Campaign

Codename

Summary:

The Arracourt scenario is dominated by a hilly ridge of five hexes which cut across a flank and into the central section, and another smaller ridge in front of that. When the armor comes over the ridge, it becomes a mighty tank battle.

🔥 Winning as the Allies

1. Be careful to not launch a premature attack on the left flank. If you are not ready, you will be entering a kill box. It may be wiser to pull back to the secondary row of ridges, to get prepared for attack.

2. The Axis forces are together in the upper right section behind the Marne-Rhine Canal. If you can move in with your armor and some artillery attacks, you are may be able to score at least one medal before they can respond.

3. You have three artillery. Use them to your advantage. If you can move your center one forward a bit, it will improve your attack and control of the center section.

🔥 Winning as the Axis

1. Your right and center sections are strong; the left units stuck behind the canal is your weak side. As you are able, get them out of harms way, or they will be easy pickings for the Allies.

2. Grand Strategy for Axis: the battle will be fought on your right flank with the armor from both sides on the two ridges and the valley between. You need to get your tightly condensed and no-retreat armor out into the open so you can battle well. If you stay backed up against the border on the right flank, your troops will be destroyed.

3. Early goal: eliminate the enemy Infantry at G7, or they will do unnecessary harm to your forces in the center section.

Battle Reports:

(percentage of Allied victories)

60%

Author:

Link: View Here

Across the River Roer

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1945, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Infantry, Location: Germany, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western

1st Armored to the Rescue

Back in May of ’42, out in that godforsaken sandbox they call North Africa, the British under General Ritchie were getting their clocks cleaned by that desert fox Rommel. That son of a gun was no slouch—he came flanking hard near the Gazala Line, punching through like a knife through warm butter.

So what do they do? They throw in the 1st Armoured Division to stop the bleeding. Good men, tough tanks—but they went up against a well-oiled machine. Rommel’s boys had coordination, momentum, and those damn Panzers that could turn faster than ours and hit harder too.

The Brits fought like hell, but their tanks were choking on dust, breaking down, and couldn’t take a hit like the German steel. The result? A tactical retreat that turned into a full-on fall of Tobruk—a damn tough loss for the Allies.

But here’s the lesson, and you’d better believe I paid attention: in desert warfare, you don’t win with brute strength alone. You win with mobility, logistics, and bringing everything—armor, air, and artillery—to bear in perfect harmony. That’s how you beat a fox like Rommel.

We may have taken a hit there—but it lit a fire under us. And that fire led us straight to victory later on.

~~ General Howitzer

5 VP’s

Card Balance:

5 Allies
6 Axis

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Desert

Location:

North Africa

Year:

1942

Theater:

Mediterranean Theater

Campaign:

Codename:

Summary

5 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 6

Complexity: 2

Conditions: Desert

Location: North Africa

Year: 1942

Theater: Mediterranean Theater

Context: Historical

🔥 Winning as the UK (Allies)

1. Big picture is that historically the British lost this due to mobility and coordination factors with their forces (besides being outgunned by the Axis Artillery). So with the Artillery on the flanks, you will need to focus your efforts in the central section, where at least the two guns have a bit less impact.

2. You have two units that begin the scenario in a no-retreat position. Get those dispersed as soon as you can.

🔥 Winning as the Germans (Axis)

1. The Axis have two artillery which you may not be able to use until the tank battles cool down a bit.

2. With your armor mobility, you want to strike first and strike hard.

3. The British have a few units with no retreat, such as the armor at I5, and the infantry at D3. If you can attack those before the forces move, you can get some quick wins.

Author:

Days of Wonder

URL: